


the sound of the birdsong

by peachsneakers



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Dragon Witch - Freeform, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: Roman gets hurt in the Imagination. His brother finds him.
Comments: 22
Kudos: 190





	the sound of the birdsong

**Author's Note:**

> from an anon prompt: "might i request roman getting hurt while fighting something in the imagination and remus finding him and then him and deceit patching him up?"

It was an accident. Roman tries to console himself with that, as he stumbles through the Imagination, broad trees thick and proud to either side of the narrow path. Birds twitter above him, filling the air with music. It's picture perfect, except for, well, him. It's expected by this point for him to quarrel with the Dragon Witch. They aren't _really_ enemies, not like he's intimated to Thomas. When he 'kills' her, she simply respawns in her home. She's even told him in some ways, it's preferable. It means that she doesn't have to fly all the way there.

But this time... He winces and looks down at his chest, at the ragged tears in his shirt and the red slowly seeping out to stain the white fabric. This time, he dodged left when he should have went right, and her claws raked a good handful of stinging lines across his skin before a startled Dragon Witch could pull her punches.

"Sorry, Prince Roman," she had told him.

"It's fine," he had reassured her. He'd sent her on her way, sure that he would find his way out of the Imagination in no time on his own, ready to be patched up by Patton or Logan (and secretly, he preferred Patton, as anything with Logan also came with a lecture).

He curses under his breath as the tip of his shoe fetches up against a tree root and nearly sends him flying. A loud cackle echoes through the woods and he freezes in place, only now recognizing where he is.

"Bro!" Remus cries exuberantly, appearing out of nowhere. "You came for a visit! I knew you would!"

"Remus, I'm not in the mood," Roman says, tired. His chest burns with every movement, and he knows the exertion is only making his wounds worse. Remus's eyebrows knit together in a frown when he sees the slashes across the front of Roman's outfit.

"Ro?" Remus asks, his voice tiny. "Who did that?"

"It was an accident," Roman hastens to reassure his brother, knowing what Remus is capable of. "I was sparring with the Dragon Witch, as I am wont to do, and I misstepped." Remus frowns harder, his eyes glittering like specks of green glass.

"It was an _accident_ ," Roman says, leaning on the words. "She didn't mean to, Remus. You are not allowed to seek her out and pay her back for me."

"You aren't the boss of me," Remus says sulkily, but that manic look in his eyes has lessened, so Roman can't bring himself to care.

"Now," Roman says. "I was just leaving, I'm afraid, I need to-"

"You need to deal with _that_ ," Remus firmly says, gesturing at Roman's chest. "And I know just the snake to do it!"

"Wait, what do you-" Roman starts to say, before Remus grabs Roman's hand and dashes off into the woods, yanking a hapless Roman behind him. In what feels like no time at all, they arrive at Remus's entrance to the Imagination, and Roman nearly trips over the threshold as Remus pulls him into his room.

"Wait there," Remus says, pointing to his disheveled bed. Roman looks around as Remus clatters off down the hallway, sitting gingerly on the edge. He doesn't know what he expected from visiting Remus's room. Perhaps a live kraken in the corner? But while it is cluttered, it looks like organized chaos, a bit like Logan's room when he gets particularly involved in a project (not that Logan would ever agree, Roman thinks ruefully).

"Here," Remus says, appearing once more. This time, he has an awkward Deceit trailing him, holding an enormous first aid kit.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Deceit says dryly. "Remus says that you were injured in the Imagination, Roman."

"It was an accident," Roman admits, his cheeks burning red.

"Lie back," Deceit instructs. "Is it just across here, or are you hurt anywhere else?"

"Just my chest," Roman says, doing as Deceit says. Remus's bed smells faintly of lavender, surprising him.

"I'm afraid your shirt should be binned," Deceit says, carefully working the fabric up over his wounds. "It's a mess."

"You can wear my clothes!" Remus exclaims happily.

"Or I could summon a new shirt," Roman points out. Remus deflates.

"Oh, yeah," he says. "Or you could do that and be _boring_."

"That's me," Roman says, deadpan. "The boring brother." He winces as Deceit unsticks part of the fabric from the edge of one slash.

"Sorry," Deceit says, glancing up at his face. "It's good now. None of these look deep, so I suppose that can be a comfort to you."

"They're still unbelievably painful," Roman says, grimacing. Deceit shrugs, a delicate movement of one shoulder, as he opens the first aid kit.

"Remus, you might want to help hold your brother down," he says, as he pulls out the alcohol wipes. "I have a feeling this is going to hurt."

It does. It does a _lot_ and Roman finds himself strangely grateful for his brother's weight, holding both of his arms down, while Deceit perches on his legs. He still unconsciously bucks upward, like he can twist away from Deceit's six hands, all of them a blur of motion around him, keeping him still and cleaning his injuries. Next comes gauze, and plenty of it. He feels like a mummy by the time Deceit is all done, his chest stinging like a thousand angry bees have been let loose inside it, but for all that, he does have to admit it feels _better_.

"Thank you," he says quietly. Deceit stands up, Remus doing the same. His brother bounces on his toes, eyes roving his brother's figure anxiously.

"Stay," Remus says, abrupt. "Wanna- wanna watch a movie with us?"

"Like what?" Roman asks. He expects something weird or gruesome (this _is_ his brother, after all), but instead, Remus thrusts _The Incredibles_ at him.

"Sure," Roman says. Deceit steps back and Roman's hand shoots out before he can stop himself.

"With both of you," he adds, rewarded by Deceit's slow, sweet smile. His brother beams.

"Let me get the snacks!" Remus says, speeding out of the room. Deceit's eyes widen.

"I'll be right back," he says. "If you want _edible_ snacks, that is."

Roman leans back and laughs.


End file.
